Out-of-control players in the world of Detective Conan

"Thank goodness, the little robot was almost exposed."

Qi Mingshu raised his hand to wipe his forehead, but despite saying that, he didn't look nervous at all.

But for now, let's be thankful, since they're still spying.

Hearing the sounds coming from the screen, Qi Ming and Ai Haibara were drawn to it again.

"What is this, Alan? Are you about to explode at Conan?"

"Probably. They've left. Let's hurry and follow them."

Seeing this, Ai Haibara's gossipy nature was stirred up again.

"By the way, what would you do if that detective exposed our identities?"

"Ok?"

Upon hearing Ai Haibara's question, Qi Ming looked at her with surprise.

"Any questions?"

Ai Haibara looked at Qi Ming with a similarly confused expression and blinked.

"Isn't there a problem? Finding out that your friend is actually a really, really bad person, isn't that a problem?"

"But I wasn't really that mean to them, was I?"

"...Don't you think it's really, really bad that you said we're all going to die today?"

Ai Haibara rolled her eyes at Qi Ming; this man's moral standards were truly baffling.

She originally thought that Qi Ming would seriously consider what she had said.

Qi Ming did indeed give it some thought, but what he thought of was different from what Ai Haibara thought of.

"What's wrong with me? I'm practically a great dream-fulfilling master, okay?"

"You see, if I hadn't told them they were going to die, why would they have done so many things before they died?"

Ai Haibara tilted her head and thought for a moment, then stopped arguing.

It seems there's some truth to what they're saying.

From this perspective, it seems that Qi Ming occasionally giving up is actually a good thing for the world.

So is there any way to let him continue to languish like this...?

Although Ai Haibara was unaware of the bank robbery taking place inside Osaka Castle at this time.

"Let's watch TV first."

……

"Xiao Lan, what did you call me just now?"

Conan turned around and stared blankly at Ran Mouri.

Ran Mouri smiled gently.

"I'll call you Shinichi."

"But you're not..."

Ran Mouri shook her head. Now that things have come to this point, there's no need to hide anything from the past anymore.

She glanced back at the group of people who were talking, then pulled Conan forward until they arrived at an empty room.

"Xiaolan, who exactly are you...?"

Seeing that Ran Mouri had already closed the door, Conan asked softly with his head down.

He had clearly revealed his identity to Ran Mouri, but she didn't believe him.

But what is the situation now?

"It was after the incident at the Mika City Hall that I learned about your situation from Mr. Qi Ming."

Ran Mouri gently turned around and walked towards Conan, pulling him into a seat.

The two sat leaning against each other, and Ran Mouri smiled lightly at Conan.

"I know you were honest with me last time, but that was because you had been hiding it from me all along, and I just wanted to tease you a little."

"..."

Conan turned to look at Ran Mouri, but at that moment his heart was pounding.

Sensing the complex emotions hidden beneath the tenderness in the other person's eyes, he intentionally or unintentionally avoided looking at them.

"Now that I've brought it up, don't you have anything you want to tell me?"

Ran's whispers echoed in Conan's ears once more. Conan's thoughts churned, his emotions stuck in his throat, unable to be expressed.

After a long pause, he managed to squeeze out a single sentence, his voice trembling slightly.

"I... I don't know how to say it."

Perhaps knowing Conan would answer that way, Ran Mouri smiled slightly and spoke to herself.

"Shinichi, do you know how it feels when you leave without a word, and our only communication is over the phone?"

Ran Mouri's voice trembled as she spoke, and her eyes reddened slightly.

"During the days you were gone, I always thought something had happened to you, but every time I asked you, you always said you were investigating a case... Looking at me like a child, what were you thinking at that time?"

Conan listened quietly to Ran Mouri's story, and after a long while, he could only utter a soft "I'm sorry," placing his hands on his lap and clenching them tightly into fists.

Career and life are mutually exclusive, and Conan clearly prioritizes his detective career over his personal life.

After a brief silence, Ran Mouri turned her head and placed her hands on Conan's face, gently turning his head so that their eyes met.

"No need to apologize. I know you're afraid of getting us into danger, but do you know what I'm afraid of?"

Ran Mouri moved a few steps closer to Conan, then gently leaned on his shoulder.

"What I fear is that one day I will never hear your phone call again."

"..."

Conan felt a heavy weight on his shoulders.

Xiaolan merely rested her chin lightly on her shoulder... perhaps this wasn't even a matter of physical weight.

"Oh well, what's the point of saying anything now? After all, I know that Shinichi is Conan and Conan is Shinichi."

Ran Mouri whispered in Conan's ear, but what sounded like such a lighthearted and relieved remark turned into a sob in her voice at the end.

"It's so good to have you by my side."

"I like you."

Conan took a deep breath, feeling the soreness in his eyes. He took off his glasses, and the next moment, tears welled up in his eyes.

"Me too."

……

inside the room.

While Heiji's final farewell was touching because the two were separated by a phone screen, it wasn't particularly moving.

However, upon actually seeing the two of them alone in a room, Ai Haibara couldn't help but gently soothe her heart and calm her emotions.

However, Qi Ming's words extinguished the emotions that had stirred within Ai Haibara.

"That knife, it's such a damn good knife!"

"Alan didn't even scold Shinichi Kudo, that scumbag, and he was so gentle. I'm so happy I could cry."

"..."

Ai Haibara glanced at Qi Ming.

I thought he was lamenting about love, but it turns out he was lamenting about kindness.

That makes some sense.

"I suddenly remembered that I actually shot her before. I felt so guilty, like a beast."

As Qi Ming spoke, he picked up a pillow from the bed and rubbed his face repeatedly.

He used to be able to shamelessly say that it was Miyano Akemi who did it, but now that he sees such a beautiful and virtuous scene, he can't be so shameless anymore.

Qi Ming suddenly threw the pillow back onto the bed, and at the same time, with a serious expression, he instantly took off his clothes.

"You, what are you doing?"

Ai Haibara, who had just turned around, blushed and turned her face away again. However, before she could say anything more, there was a thud, and Qi Ming collapsed to the ground.

"Qi, Qi Ming?"

Ai Haibara, noticing something amiss, turned around, only to find that Qi Ming's corpse on the ground had already dissipated.

click-

The door opened, and Qi Ming, already dressed and looking refreshed, walked back in.

"Okay, now I don't feel guilty anymore."

"..."

Are you crazy?!